The present invention relates in general to release and retrieval machanisms for anchors of the type frequently used with fishing and pleasure boats. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anchor release and retrieval mechanism for use with a releasable anchor, such as that disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,024 which issued Nov. 8, 1977.
One of the more tedious tasks with boating, especially fishing, is the repetitive process of lowering and then retrieving the anchor. Since fisherman frequently change fishing spots, depending on where the fish are "hitting" and depending upon the various tides and currents, 4-5 hours of fishing may involve as many as 8-12 changes in location. Even if one is only pleasure boating and anchoring at a location for an extended period of time, the lack of any convenient and safe way to retain the anchor until it is lowered into the water makes the present invention particularly significant.
With the size or class of boat to which the present invention pertains, the anchors which are typically used include a central shank or body portion which is surrounded at the distal end by outwardly radiating and evenly spaced anchor arms. This type of anchor is usually located at the bow of the boat and merely rests, with its anchor cable, on some portion of the boat until it is tossed into the water. There is typically no way to stow or conceal the anchor and it is thus loose and allowed to move or shift position as the boat maneuvers through the water and is tossed by the waves. The outwardly radiating anchor arms also represent an undesirable situation in that they are open and exposed.
One drawback with this type of anchor is how to release the anchor arms when they become lodged on an obstruction in the bottom of the body of water. This particular difficulty was overcome by my earlier invention disclosed in what is now U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,024, wherein a means is provided to collapse the arms when they become lodged. Another drawback, the lack of any means to safely retain and stow the anchor when it is out of the water, is overcome by the present invention. While the present invention provides a novel and unobvious release and retrieval mechanism, the design disclosed also provides a stowage feature not heretofore available in the same form. Finally, the present invention when used in combination with the style of anchor according to my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,024, provides the above benefits as well as a novel means to collapse the anchor arms so that when the anchor is fully retrieved and retained by the present invention, the arms are folded along side the shank of the anchor so as to provide a more streamlined and unobstructing stowed configuration.
The present invention provides a novel and unobvious mechanism which is mounted to an internal surface of the boat which is adjacent an outer edge of the boat. Due to a spring biasing arrangement, release of the anchor cable winch allows the anchor and its holder to be pulled out over the edge of the boat by the spring force. Once this occurs, the anchor arms are free to expand outwardly as they unfold and as the anchor is lowered into the water. As the winch continues to unwind, more anchor cable is made available and the anchor sinks to the bottom of the body of water. The retrieval process is effectively the reverse of the deployment cycle wherein the winch begins to wrap up the anchor cable drawing the anchor out of the water, and once properly received by the present invention is allowed to pivot so as to flip up over the side of the boat, changing from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation, in order for the anchor to be stowed.